Justice News

Three men indicted for heroin and cocaine conspiracy

Three men were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic heroin and cocaine, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

The defendants had more than a kilogram of heroin and five kilograms of cocaine in December 2016, according to the indictment.

“We will continue to seek long prison sentences for drug traffickers,” Rendon said. “Aggressive enforcement, coupled with increased access to treatment for those who want help, changes in prescribing practices and more education are all required to combat the opioid epidemic that his devastated our state.”

“Unfortunately, heroin and cocaine continue to plague our communities,” Anthony said. “Law enforcement will hold these individuals, and any others, that bring illegal narcotics to our streets accountable in a court of law.”

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigating agency in this case is the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Toledo. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas P. Weldon and Alissa M. Sterling.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.